Welcome To Hogwarts Chapter 1: Express Friends
by ConsSunshine58
Summary: This story is a little AU. Takes place in Harry's 6th year, but was written before book 6. Harry and his friends return to Hogwarts and meet a new student.


Express Friends

The noise on Platform Nine and Three-Quarters at five minutes till noon was almost deafening. Owls hooted to each other from their respective cages, students and their families chattered endlessly, saying their good-byes, and every few seconds the scarlet engine would belch a puff of hot white steam.

"Behave yourselves!" Cried Mrs. Molly Weasley, waving her enormous hand-bag at Harry as he pushed his way into a car behind Ron.

"Mind you keep your toes out of trouble!" Shouted Fred, imitating his mother's voice. He ducked behind his twin as she swung her hand-bag at his head.

"And your ears! And your noses!" George added as both of the boys took refuge behind their father, whom was a good foot and a half shorter than they.

"Anyways," said Fred loudly, "Really must dash; have to get back to inventing now that all the kiddies are in school." With a crack, the twins Disapparated to their premises on Diagon Alley before their mother could berate them.

Meanwhile, Harry had finally forced himself onto the train and was now looking around for Ron or Hermione who were to secure them all a compartment.

"This way," Said Ron to his left, as he prodded Harry's arm. Harry nodded and followed his friend down the narrow corridor to where Hermione was waiting in an otherwise unoccupied compartment. The boy quickly stowed Hedwig's cage in the overhead and took a seat just as the car gave a great heave: the Hogwarts Express was on its way.

The three had just begun an intense conversation on the proceedings of the Order when there was a tentative knock on their compartment door. Harry immediately clapped his mouth shut and Hermione rose to answer the knock. Standing outside the sliding door was a tall, rather pretty girl clutching a covered cage. Her hair was red, but with more scarlet in contrast to Ron's fiery orange. Amethyst eyes twinkled under long dark lashes and her rosy lips were drawn up in a wry smile.

"I'm sorry to bother you all, but I've been up and down the car and—"

"Everywhere else is full." Hermione finished for her kindly. "We've got room. Please come in." Harry gave her an annoyed look—he had been looking forward to discussing the Order—but the girl thanked Hermione and entered. She secured the cage in the overhead next to Ron's owl Pig before sitting across from him. Hermione immediately took it upon herself to introduce the three of them. The girl gave the slightest of double-takes at Harry's name, but refrained from commenting.

"I'm Alanna Barton." She said instead, smiling around at them amiably. "Are you all sixth years then?" Harry, Ron, and Hermione nodded.

"What house are you, then? I haven't seen you around." Said Ron. The red-haired girl giggled and he looked a little indignant.

"I'm sorry." She apologized, interpreting his look. "You wouldn't have seen me—I'm a transfer."

"Can you do that?" Harry wondered out loud. He'd never heard of a student transferring from one wizarding school to another, but now that he thought about it, he supposed it was possible.

"Of course you can." Hermione answered for her. "Honestly, if either of you had read _Hogwarts, A History_, you'd know that there have been a total of 10—now 11—transfer students to our school." Ron rolled his eyes at Alanna and she giggled. Hermione continued as though she hadn't noticed this interruption. "Three were from Beaubaxtons, seven from Durmstrang. Which are you from?"

Alanna crossed her legs, seating herself more comfortably. "Durmstrang. My family are all British, but we lived in Bulgaria until just recently."

"Do you know Viktor Krum?" Ron blurted out, looking suddenly excited. He seemed to have forgotten that he had met the boy last year, had gotten his autograph after a brutal personal battle, and that Hermione was currently dating him.

"I did, actually." Said Alanna, seemingly amenable to answering his questions. "He was one of the few decent people there."

"Why did you transfer? You don't have to change schools just because your family moves, right?" Asked Harry, just about as tactlessly as Ron. Hermione hissed at him like an angry cat, trying to spare the new girl's feelings, but Alanna gave the boy a rueful smile.

"I don't mind telling you; it will probably come out sooner or later." She sighed, looking—Harry thought—a little sad, and continued, "I had never wanted to go to Durmstrang in the first place and I didn't much care for it while I was there. Too much emphasis on the Dark Arts, you know. Well," she added, "You've no doubt heard about our old headmaster."

Harry coughed. He knew about Karkaroff, all right. The former headmaster of Durmstrang had turned out to be a Death Eater in league with Voldemort. When he had heard about the return of the Dark Lord, however, he had fled in fear, leaving his school without guidance.

"After that incident, we got a new headmaster, but he turned out to be just as bad. Not a Death Eater, but a terribly prejudiced man nonetheless. He discriminated against certain…minorities and his feelings spread through the school, causing discord among its students. I was one of few (including Krum) that didn't like the way he ran things. Things came to a head at the end of the year and—" she paused to swipe her hand under her eyes that were rather wet all of a sudden—"Sufficed to say, it ended badly. I got away with my life, but some were not so lucky. It was all covered up and kept from the papers, of course. After that, my family moved back to Britain and my mother wrote to Professor Dumbledore. He most graciously welcomed me to Hogwarts and here I am." She finished brightly, but her eyes still shone with unshed tears.

"Well," said Hermione, trying to lighten the mood, "We're glad you're here. I suppose you'll be Sorted when we get there?"

Alanna nodded. "I hope I'm in Gryffindor. Krum came back with many stories of your bravery and courage." She looked at Harry when she said this and the boy felt his cheeks redden.

"Er, what kind of owl do you have?" He asked abruptly, trying to change the subject. Alanna smiled at him, amethyst eyes twinkling mischievously.

"Actually, Fitzy isn't an owl." Alanna said, giving Hermione an uneasy glance. The other girl looked back at her, intrigued.

"Fitzy?" She asked, wondering if it was short for something in Bulgarian. She had tried to teach herself a little of Viktor's language over the summer, but it didn't seem to have stuck.

"Fitzy is short for Fitzwilliam Darcy, a character in a popular Muggle novel." Alanna explained, still not stating what exactly Fitzy was.

"_Pride and Prejudice_, by Jane Austen." Stated Hermione knowledgably. Ron and Harry rolled their eyes at each other with looks of mock disgust. Alanna nodded and looked a little more comfortable.

"It's one of my favorite books. Anyways, I'd introduce him to you, but he's asleep and doesn't much care for sunlight." Ron and Harry were now extremely anxious to know what the not-an-owl was. Hermione, though, guessed it right off.

"Is he a bat?"

Alanna, looking surprised, nodded. "Yes, he's a common Pipistrelle. I'm sorry I hesitated, but I find most girls don't-er-like to know they're in close proximity to a bat. It looks like you're not one of them." Harry could see an instant friendship forming between the two girls and felt slightly jealous. Hermione was his and Ron's friend and they didn't even know this girl. (He, of course, had forgotten that he, Ron, and Hermione hadn't know each other their first time on the train either.)

Hermione shrugged it off, smiling. "Viktor told me that bats were acceptable pets at Durmstrang. I don't mind them, but, then, I've never seen one up close."

"Oh," gushed Alanna happily, "You'll like Fitzy. He's so small he fits in the palm of your hand. That's probably why Hogwarts doesn't encourage them; they're not much good for post unless you can put a Weightless charm on the mail. He was given to me by—" Alanna's voice hitched a little— "my former boyfriend and he's my only pet. I was afraid I would have to leave him behind, but Dumbledore assured me that I could keep him. He said something about being rather fond of unusual pets."

Harry laughed, "I'll bet he is. He's got a phoenix named Fawkes." Alanna looked over at him wide-eyed and he suddenly felt like he wanted more exciting information to share with the girl in the other seat.

"Wow, I hope I get sent to the headmaster's office, then!" They all laughed at her enthusiasm and the rest of the journey to Hogwarts passed quickly, the three old friends sharing tales of teachers and students at their beloved school. By the time they got there, Hermione had promised to lend Alanna her copy of _Hogwarts, A History_ and all were hoping that Alanna was Sorted into Gryffindor.


End file.
